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Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and related topics in the film and television industry, everything from getting stuff written to the vagaries of copyright and work-for-hire law.

Scriptnotes Podcast
John August and Craig Mazin

TV & Film

4.8, 1.8K Ratings

Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and related topics in the film and television industry, everything from getting stuff written to the vagaries of copyright and work-for-hire law.

454 - That Icky Feeling

John and Craig explore that icky feeling something’s wrong with your script and what to do about it. They also discuss the difference between story and screenplay, both as official WGA categories and how we use those terms everyday. We follow up on French hours, whether you should send editable documents to producers, and offer tips on discussing story ideas with friends and colleagues. And in our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig read erotic fiction. Links: Larchmont Author Extravaganza with Chevalier’s this Saturday June 6 with guests Stuart Gibbs, Aline Brosh McKenna, Derek Haas and more! Sports Medal Recycling How Pac Man Works FiLMiC Pro Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt! John August on Twitter Craig Mazin on Twitter John on Instagram Outro by John Venable (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

453 - Getting Back to Set

John and Craig welcome back Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Your Place or Mine) and Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball, We’re the Millers) to share how we’re thinking about the future of film and television production. We talk about possible plans for getting back to set, how movies might change to adapt to the current circumstances, and how we want to see pandemic depictions in our media. In our bonus segment for premium members we discuss puzzles: Craig’s controversial take on jigsaw, the Larchmont Puzzle Exchange, and why puzzles are good for families. Links: Catch Craig on Mythic Quest’s special bonus Quarantine Episode! #FosterChallenge: John is raffling off a 60-minute one-on-one writing session on Zoom. Proceeds go to help amazing foster charities. Donate here. Please send info on Arlo Finch Bear to ask@johnaugust.com! Red Notice Your Place or Mine Hollywood Food Coalition Wakanicci Bath Robe Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel from your local bookstore or Bookshop! The Miracle Sudoku Solve Aline Brosh Mckenna on Twitter Rawson Thurber on Twitter John August on Twitter Craig Mazin on Twitter John on Instagram Outro by Michael Caruso (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

452 - The Empire Strikes Back with Lawrence Kasdan

John and Craig welcome back Lawrence Kasdan for a deep dive on The Empire Strikes Back to celebrate this iconic film’s 40th anniversary. We talk about the inspiration behind Yoda, keeping the Skywalker/Darth Vader connection a secret, and balancing competing storylines. We also take a look at Kasdan’s original handwritten script, accompanied by table reads from John and Craig! And in our bonus segment for premium members, we answer audience questions with Lawrence Kasdan. This special live show was produced in partnership with the Writers Guild Foundation. Links: Find Lawrence Kasdan’s Handwritten Script here. Scriptnotes 247, The One with Lawrence Kasdan Thank you to the Writer’s Guild Foundation for hosting us! John August on Twitter Craig Mazin on Twitter John on Instagram Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

451 - There Are No Slow Claps

John and Craig offer guidance on how to “flip the script” on tropes without landing on your face. We also answer listener questions about phone numbers, sluglines and short films. Finally, in our bonus segment for premium members, we discuss our personal video game histories and the possibility that John was raised in a cult. Links: Join us Thursday, May 14th for a live talk with Lawrence Kasdan 4pm PT on Zoom here: Online Conversation: Revisiting The Empire Strikes Back with Lawrence Kasdan Submit to the Three Page Challenge Jordan Mechner’s: The Making of Prince of Persia, 1985-1993 and Bookshop.org Maria Bamford: Weakness is the Brand John August on Twitter Craig Mazin on Twitter John on Instagram Outro by James Llonch (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

450 - Only The Interesting Scenes

John and Craig propose a challenge for every screenwriter: only write interesting scenes. They discuss why following this precept is so important and offer tips for implementing it proactively. We also answer listener questions about set pieces, virtual rooms, and juggling multiple projects. In our bonus segment for premium members, we consider whether Covid-19 has changed the landscape about whether writers still need to live in Los Angeles. Links: Getting Things Done in a Pandemic Fetch the Boltcutters End of the Century Queer Qrosswords, email the team at queerqrosswords@gmail.com John August on Twitter Craig Mazin on Twitter John on Instagram Outro by (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.

449 - The One with Sam Esmail

John hosts a discussion with writer/director Sam Esmail as a part of the Showrunner Sessions at the WGA. Sam describes his aversion to writing, where his inspiration comes from, and how he learned to run a room. We also dig into craft, talking about parentheticals and mastering the tension between creating mystery versus confusing your audience. Then, for our premium members on our bonus segment we air the audience Q&A from the Showrunner Panel. John and Sam cover the alchemy of surprising music in a scene and the importance of saying something with each character. Links: Angelyne Trailer Watch Homecoming Mr. Robot Three Page Challenge participants — please share your updates and stories! We’d love to hear what happened to your story or career after the segment. Please reach out with your experiences working in a virtual writer’s room during Covid-19, email ask@johnaugust.com. AboveTek iPad Stand Just Watch Sign up for Scriptnotes Premium here. Sam Esmail on Twitter John August on Twitter Craig Mazin on Twitter John on Instagram Outro by Matthew Chilelli (send us yours!) Scriptnotes is produced by Megana Rao and edited by Matthew Chilelli. Email us at ask@johnaugust.com You can download the episode here.